Highway barrier



Nov. 29, 1927.

G. T. OMALEY HIGHWAY BARRIER Filed Jan. 51, 1927 INVENTOR. 620 Z fli/a/ay.

Patented Nov. 29, 1927.

UNITED STATES GEORGE T. OMALEY, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

HIGHWAY BARRIER.

Application filed January 31, 1927. Serial No. 164,742.

This invention relates to improvements in highway barriers, and refers more particularly to an adjustable V-shaped barrier adapted to be placed in front of open-manholes, street improvements or in any place where it is desired to hinder or obstruct the traffic, and to bring to the notice of vehicle drivers the fact that the highway is impassable.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus. a

Fig. 2 is a sectional detail of the oscillating mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a view taken along the line 33 in Fig. 2. i

Fig. 4 is a view taken along the line 4.4 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail of the reflector units.

Referring to the drawings, the barrier consists of three upright stanchions or posts, designated by the numerals 1, 2 and 3 in Fig. 1. Horizontal pipes or rods 4-, connect the uprights 2 and 3 to the upright 1, to which the horizontal bars l are hinged. The upright legs 2 and 3 may be spread according to the width of the improvement which is being made upon the highway, and in place of a single unit two vor three units may be set completely across the highway as the necessities require.

The novelty in the present invention lies primarily in the use of an oscillating signal on the foremost post 1 of the barrier. Within a casing 5, shown in Fig. 2, is positioned a motor 6 which is connected bypower lines through connections not shown, to any available source of power. On the motor shaft 7 is mounted a worm 8, which meshes with the worm gear 9 rotating on a shaft 10. A stub shaft 11 is eccentrically positioned upon the face of the worm gear, and bearing upon this stub shaft is a roller 12. Above the worm gear and pivoted at 13 is a bifurcated member 14, having laterally extending socket arms 15, which carry the signal flags 16. The roller 12 is positioned in the slot between the legs of the bifurcated member and upon rotation of the worm gear by means of the motor 6 the member 14 is oscillated on its pivot 13, which gives a continuous movement to the signal flags during the operation of the motor. The oscillation of the signal flags renders the barrier more conspicuous to the vehicle drivers, and at night lights may be mounted upon the oscillatingmember in place of the flags.

It is a recognized fact that unless an obstruction or barrier is well marked both in the day time and at night byamoving signal, difliculties are experienced in preventing the barrier from being demolished and lives endangered, particularly when men are working on street improvements below or at the surface of the highway.

In addition to the oscillating mechanism bulls-eyes, such as the reflectors shown at 17, are affixed to the vertical posts of the barrier. Light rays projected from the head lights of vehicles are reflected-in the glass lenses and. furnish additional means for making the barrier conspicuous to vehicle drivers. e v

Furthermore at the top of the vertical apparatus 1, 2 and 3, light bulbs 18 are fitted in sockets, which have connections with electric light. wires so that they may be illuminated at, night.

it will be understood that the oscillating signal may be mounted upon any suitable type of barrier besides the !-shaped barrier, shown and have the same effect in so far as it makes the obstruction conspicuous both during daylight and at night.

While the oscillation of the signal arms has been described as operated from a motor, it is understood that any type of driving mechanism may be used, as a water motor, or other mechanical driving means.

I claim as my invention:

1. A highway barrier of the character described, having upright members connected by horizontal bars, a member pivoted on one of the uprights carrying laterally extending signalling means and'a bifurcated lower portion, a roller eccentrically mounted on a rotating gear bearing upon the pivoted member between the bifurcated lower extremities thereof, power means for driving said gear.

2. An oscillating signal for highway barriers, comprising a casing adapted to be mounted upon said barrier, said casing containing a pivoted member having signal arms extending outside the casing, and a bifurcated lower portion, a roller mounted eccentrically upon a rotating member and bearing between the bifurcated lower eX- tremities of the pivoted member, a driving means connected with the rotating member.

GEORGE T. OMALEY. 

